Aesthetics  

Posted



This image relates to Calvino in a few ways.  Lightness is the easiest concept to relate Calvino, Midas, and Dorian.  It definitely shows the idea of lightness, or rather the opposite of lightness, heaviness.  Midas thought the touch of gold would be perfect and beneficial in every way, just as Dorian thought eternal youth would be.  However, their light idea eventually became heavy after time as Midas could no longer eat or touch his family and Dorian corrupted his soul.  The image I used for lightness was the nymphs frolicking through the forest.  These two images, the nymphs and Midas, show the opposite ends of lightness.  The nymphs are light and buoyant without a care in the world, while Midas is weighed down by all his gold and the unhappiness it has brought him.  The idea of visibility also relates to the King Midas image in a roundabout way.  It shows how his desire to be surrounded by pleasing golden images brought his downfall.  This is probably a stretch.  Visibility and Dorian’s image is important to just about every aspect of the story.  The image of the light at the end of the tunnel shows visibility by just being able to see or grasp an idea, something that neither Midas nor Dorian can really do.